GM football fans. It’s Wednesday, Apr. 16 - Proposals for a 64-team World Cup face criticism, Canada’s first professional women’s league starts today, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

Enjoy reading Route One? Share with a friend using this link.

KEY FIXTURES

UEFA Champions League, Quarter-finals, Leg 2, 20:00 / 15:00. Real Madrid vs. Arsenal, Agg 0-3. Madrid aims to become just the second team in Champions League history to overturn a three-goal first-leg deficit–only two of 159 teams to lose a first leg by 3+ goals in the UCL have advanced. Meanwhile, Arsenal, unbeaten in their last nine matches, are bidding to reach their first Champions League semi-final since 2009. Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich, Agg 2-1. Inter have won five UCL games in a row for the first time since their 2009-10 treble season and are unbeaten in their last 14 UCL matches at San Siro. But Bayern have won all four away games against Inter without conceding. See predicted line-ups here.

Editor’s note: A reminder that Newcastle host Crystal Palace today (Apr. 16) at 19:30 (UK) / 14:30 (ET) in the final fixture of Premier League Matchday 32.

Results…

• Champions League: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (Agg 4-5) (Report) | Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (Agg 3-5) (Report)

• Women’s Super League: Arsenal 5-1 Leicester (Table)

TOP TALKING POINTS

64-Team World Cup Criticism

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is the latest to criticise a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup to 64 teams. The tournament will span three continents, with matches in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, and opening games in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The proposal originated from Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez, who argued that expanding the tournament would be a fitting tribute to the tournament’s 100th anniversary. Uefa’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, labelled the expansion a “bad idea”, while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa maintains that growth at this rate would incite chaos.

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is already testing an expanded format, seeing 48 teams compete instead of 32.

Canada’s First Pro Women’s League

Canada’s first professional women’s football league, the Northern Super League (NSL), launches on Wednesday (Apr. 16) when Vancouver Rise host Calgary Wild in the opener. The inaugural season will feature six teams: Halifax Tides FC, Montreal Roses FC, AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild FC, Ottawa Rapid FC and Vancouver Rise FC. Get to know each team here.

The league, created by retired Canada international Diana Matheson and business partner Thomas Gilbert, will feature a 25-game regular season schedule followed by playoffs and a National Championship. The NSL currently has 132 players, consisting of 87 Canadian players and 45 internationals.

Matches will be broadcast in Canada on multiple channels and available on ESPN+ in the United States. The league claims that international broadcasting will be available soon. See the fixtures here.

CWC Qualification Confusion

Fifa president Gianni Infantino say they will look to hold a playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club America for a place at the Club World Cup, replacing Mexico’s Club Leon, who were suspended from the tournament. At the same time, the 30-time Costa Rican champions Alajuelense continue to pursue legal action to claim the vacant spot.

However, new reports suggest conversations at Fifa’s headquarters are ongoing about instead inviting Barcelona to fill the position. It’s unclear why the Catalan side would qualify for the tournament.

Fifa’s qualification criteria have previously come under fire. Inter Miami qualified for the tournament among the Major League Soccer clubs by winning the Supporters’ Shield, widely considered secondary to the MLS Cup, won by the LA Galaxy. Critics argue Miami’s inclusion was influenced more by commercial interests than sporting merit, particularly to ensure Lionel Messi’s participation.

POLL

ON THE BALL

Europe

> Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have qualified for the Champions League semi-finals; Barca will play the winner of Inter-Bayern and PSG will play the winner of Madrid-Arsenal (Bracket) | Uefa will consider changing the seeding rules for next season's Champions League as Arsenal play the second leg against Real Madrid away from home despite finishing ahead of them in the league table (More)

> Brentford owner Matthew Benham has bought Spanish third-tier side Merida AD, reviving the Premier League side’s multi-club ownership model (More)

> Arjan Veurink, assistant coach to Sarina Wiegman, will leave the England women’s team after July’s European Championship to become the head coach of the Netherlands women’s national side (More)

> Kadeisha Buchanan has agreed a new deal with Chelsea Women until the summer of 2027 (More)

Americas

> Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he is not concerned about slow ticket sales for this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States (More) 

> Pachuca striker Charlyn Corral has broken a Liga MX Femenil record, netting 21 goals with still one match remaining in the regular season (More)

> Luis Suarez has told reporters that Lionel Messi wants to play at the 2026 World Cup, despite the Argentine yet to confirm whether he will feature (More)

Rest of the World

> Iraq’s national team have sacked head coach Jesus Casas with just two games remaining in Asian qualification for the 2026 World Cup (More)

ROUTERS’ VOICE

Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think Real Madrid and Bayern Munich can turn things around in their Champions League second legs?

🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🤯 Yes... (32%)

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅‍♂️ Nope... (65%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other... (3%)

Your punditry takes:

• 🤯 P.D: “Either or both certainly could turn it around, but it's definitely fair to say that neither are favourites. But the quality both teams have means they definitely can't be written off, though.”

• 🙅‍♂️ H.C: “Things are never certain at this level of football, but the odds are massively against both teams. In its favour, Madrid plays at the Bernabeu, which has always been a fortress, but Bayern has to play at San Siro, where the energy will be electric.”

• 🙅‍♂️ A.L: “Far too much to do. Arsenal are pretty solid at the back and can't see them conceding three goals. Inter have improved, and Bayern are miles behind what they were. Sorry, no chance for either.”

• ✍️ J.M: “Bayern may be able to overturn their deficit, but I do not think there is much chance of Real doing the same. Bayern have to overturn a one-goal deficit, Real are three behind, and Arsenal have not conceded more than two goals for over a year. Even then, Real would have to score three without conceding at all, which they do not look likely to do with their defensive record recently.”

EXTRA TIME

Remembering Hillsborough–36 years on.

Madrid TV release intense video ahead of Arsenal clash.

Villa accidentally played the Europa League anthem.

The crocodile stadium may be the most unique in Europe.

How 11 PL clubs can qualify for Europe.

… and which clubs will qualify for the Champions League?

NWSL’s team of the week is out.

When Mourinho ghosted Eto'o to get best out of him.

How to defend–with Henry and Carragher. (video)

GAME FACE ON

Question: Barcelona and Arsenal (2-1) faced each other in the 2006 Champions League final. Can you name the starting XI for each team?

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

UEFA Champions League, QF, Leg 2

• Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich (Agg 2-1) (20:00)

• Real Madrid vs Arsenal (Agg 0-3) (20:00)

Premier League

• Newcastle vs Crystal Palace (19:30)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CDT -6. PDT -8. MDT -7. CET +1.

Answer

Barcelona: Valdez, Puyol, Marquez, Oleguer, Van Bronckhorst, Edmilson, Van Bommel, Deco, Ronaldinho, Guily, Eto’o.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Cole, Toure, Campbell, Eboue, Gilberto Silva, Fabregas, Pires, Hleb, Ljungberg, Henry.

See the match highlights here.